Door check and silencer for springactuated doors



Oct. 24, 1950- Y M. c. Blusas '2,526,515

DOOR CHECK ND SILENCER FOR SPRING-ACTUATED DOORS l FlOd-y 16, 1949r-:NroR nel? MARTIN c. anlass ATTOREYS Patented Oct. 24, 1950 DOOR4CHECK AND SILENCER FOR SPRING- ACTUATED DOORS Martin Calkins Briggs,Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 16, 1949, Serial No. 93,494

This invention relates to mechanism for checking and substantiallysilencing the closing of a door wherein a contractile coil spring or theequivalent is used as the closing medium.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive buthighly efficient mechanism cooperatively associated with a contractilespring or the mechanical equivalent thereof, such as a guided weight formomentarily interposing a cushioning or buffer element between a freeedge of a swinging door and the door stop just prior to its inalmovement to fully closed position.

More specically, it is an object to provide a combinative door closingand checking mechanism adapted to supply power for closing an open doorand further adapted through the expansion or movement of the spring ordoor closing element to tension a exible member for positioning a bufferelement momentarily between the stop strip of the doorway and a portionof the free edge of the door and adapted to thereafter inthe last partof the closing movement of the door, slacken the exible element topermit disrplacement of the buffer element from checking position. y

Another object is the provision of mechanism of the class describedwherein the buier or cushioning element is temporarily positioned in anannular seat or eye for breaking the impact of the closing door, but isreadily knocked by said impact into non-obstructing position, therebyoffering an improved silencing action as contrasted with buffers whichbear the full impact and force of the slamming door between door frameand door edge.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of a door and door frame showing anembodiment of my invention applied thereto with the door in closedposition with the doorway stop strips removed;

I Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation on an enlarged scale showing thedoor in partially closed position with the buier element disposed instriking position;

Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof on a similarly Venlarged'scale with theupper portion of the.

vdoorway broken away showing the buffer element in striking position;

Fig. 4 is la side elevation on a still greater 6 Claims. (Cl. 16-49) 2enlarged scale of a door-closing spring and another embodiment of myinvention applied thereto, the working mechanism being as shown,disconnected from a door;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another embodiment of the invention;and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail elevation on an enlarged scale showingthe hookmember Ha in its connected relation with the coil spring.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 3inclusive, my structure is applied to a swinging door D hinged at itsright vertical edge as shown in the drawing, by hinges H to aconventional door frame F. 'Ihe usual door stop strips S are provided inthe doorway at the top and sides thereof for engagement with themarginal edges of the door when closed. My door check and silencermechanism is cooperatively associated with a door closing element suchas an elongated contractile coil spring 'l having one end thereof formedto provide an eye which is secured by a fastener 8 to the doorway at apoint offset and spaced in eccentric manner from the axis of the hingesH. The opposite end of spring .1 is shaped to form an eye or hook lawhich as shown in Figs. l to 3, is secured by the shank of an eye screw9 threadedly attached as shown, adjacent the upper edge of door D at apoint removed a few inches from the free vertical edge of the door. Thescrew eye 9 Vserves the dual function of acting as a retainer for theouter end of spring l and constitutes a horizontal annular seat orsocket for a compressible and resilient buffer member I0. Buffer memberI9 as shown, is in the form of a soft rubber ball having an axiallydisposed reinforcing pin Illa therethrough to one end of which isattached a strong, preferably metallic ilexible member such as the balltype chain Il, The inner end of chain il as shown in Figs. l to 3, isattached by a hookV or clamping member l la to an intermediateconvolution of the contractile coil spring 'l and the outer end of thechain H as shown, is threaded upwardly through the bottom of the annulusor seat or eye 9. y Y

It is important that the length of chain Il and its attachment byelement Ila to the coil spring 1 be in such relation that during theopening movement of the door` (rearwardly away from the observer asviewed in the drawing) the eX- pansion of spring 'upon opening of thedoor past, say 30 degrees opening movement, causes tensioning of chainIl to draw the buffer ball I0 into the operative position as vshown inFig. 2 where the buier ball remains until in the closing movement of thedoor, it momentarily is interposed between the upper edge of the doorwayand the upper edge of the door to cushion the slamming impact. In normalposition with the door closed, the chain is slackened due to contractionof spring 'I and the ball is suspended from the ring 9.

In Fig. 2 a portion of the top of the doorway is broken away to show infull lines the relation of the buffer ball in operative positiontherewith.

In Fig. 3 the dotted lines indicate the moved positions of the operatingparts during the iinal closing movement of the door.

With my improved structure, the automatic `closing of the door issubstantially noiseless. When the door is moved from the closed positionshown in Fig. l, chain Ii is tightened after `swinging of the door topartially open position, thereby drawing the ball to the operativeposition shown in Fig. 2, where it is well seated in the annulus of eye9. When the door is released by the user the tensioned contractilespring swings the door with force towards closed position. Just beforethe door fully closes, the seated buffer ball I at its upper portionstrikes against the lower edge of the doorway or the upper stop strip,cushioning the impact and because of its resiliency, producing a slightbounce or outward movement of the door and the impact causes the bufferball EG to be knocked or roll on" of the annular seat with the chain i lthen slack-shed so that the ball is removed from work position and thedoor is quietly swung for the very small angulation left, to fullyclosed position. Due to the loose seating of the buiTer member and slackof chain l I when the impact is cushioned, only a very slight amount ofnoise is occasioned. The buffer receives the shock to the extent ofcompletely cushioning the violence oi the doorswinging movement butalmost instantly thereafter, is knocked or rolledl from its seatedoperative position without the complete interposition of its structurebetween two solid members. A

much more efficient cushioning operation is therefore effected than withthe use of pendulous buffer members attached to door or door frame.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention whereinthe outer end ci the spring l is connected with the separate andindependent screw eye i5 and wherein the chain Il is connected with theouter end of a rod iii which is disposed within the Comines of thespring and has its inner end turned to form a hook ld which isinterconnected with a medial convolution of spring l'. The operation oithis form of the invention is substantially identical with the formfirst described, the ball being similarly connected to chain ii in orderto be seated in operative position in an annular element or screw eye ilduring opening of the door and similarly unseated during closing of thedoor.

In Fig. 5, another form of the invention is illustrated where theannular element or screw eye 9, as in the form first described, has thedual function of anchoring the outer end of spring 'i and serving as thebuiier seat. The chain li ci this last mentioned form is secured to theiiiwardly bent extremity ia of a rod l which is slidably disposed withinthe outer portion of spring 'I and has its inner end formed into a hookl8b which is engaged with one of the medial convolutions of spring l.

y In Fig. 5, the spring 'i is shown tensioned as it is when the door isopen beyond a predetermined angulation while in Fig. 4, the spring isshown contracted in the normal closed position of the door with thebuier ball suspended below the eye I1.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have providedsimple but highly eiiicient mechanism for substantially silencing theclosing of a door and for supplying the closing medium.

It will further be seen that my invention may be applied as anattachment to door-closing means such as contractile springs now in useor already attached or may be in combinative relation with the spring orother door-closing member manufactured and sold as a complete unit.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of Iny invention.

What I claim is: Y

l. A door silencing mechanism for swinging doors which have attachedthereto a door-closing element such as an elongated coil spring;comprising a butler-retaining socket adapted to be secured adjacent afree edge of a door and disposed in substantially horizontal position, abuffer element shaped to be temporarily retained in said socket with aportion of the periphery thereof protruding beyond said edge of the doorand a connection element including at least a flexible section securedto'said buffer element and slidably extending through said socket, oneend o said connection member having means for attachment to anintermediate portion of said door closing element whereby the expansionof said element during opening of the door will taut said exible sectionto draw said buffer element from a suspended position to an operativeposition in said socket interposed between said free edge oi the doorand a portion of the doorway.

2. A door check and silencer mechanism comprising lan annular seatadapted to be secured adjacent a free edgeof a swinging door anddisposed in horizontal position, a buier element of a size and shape tobe retained in said seat with a portion of the periphery thereofprotruding beyond said edge of the door and a exible element secured tosaid buier element and threaded downwardly through said seat and havingan end for attachment to a movable door-closing element such as anelongated coil spring whereby the expansion of said element duringopening of the door will make taut said flexible element to draw saidbuier element from a suspended position to an operative position betweenthe said free edge of the door and a portion of the doorway to initiallycheck and to substantially silence the last part of the closing movementof the door.

3. A door check and silencer mechanism comprising a door attachmentmember adapted to be secured adjacent a free edge of a swinging door andhaving an element for connection with one end of a contractiledoor-closing spring and having a socket for reception-and temporarymounting of a buier member, a buffer member of size and shape to beretained in said socket with a portion of the periphery thereofprotruding beyond said edge of the door and a connection elementincluding at least a flexible section secured to said `buffer member andslidably extending through said socket, one end of said connectionmember having means for attachment to an intermediate portion of saidcontractile coil spring,

the length of said connection member being such Y that said flexiblesection is normally loose when the door is closed and is made taut bythe eXpansion of said spring during opening movement of the door.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said door attachmentmember comprises a screw shank for receiving a hook orloop at the outerend of a coil spring and has aixed thereto an annular elementconstituting said socket for receiving said buffer member.

5. Door closing and silencing mechanism having inv combination anelongated contractile coil spring having one end for attachment ineccentric relation to the hinge of a door upon the door frame and havingits outer end provided with an attachmentelement, a door attachmentmember adapted to be secured to a door adjacent a free edge thereof andhaving an element for connection with the outer end of said coil springand having a seat for reception or"v a buffer member,

'a` buffer member shaped to be temporarily retained in said seat withafportion of the periphery thereof protruding beyond said edge of thedoor and a connection element including at least a flexible sectionsecured to said buffer element and slidably extending through saidsocket, one end of said connection member having means for attachment toan intermediate portion of said door closing element whereby theexpansion of said element during opening of the door will make taut saidflexible section tov draw said buffer element from a suspended positionto an operative position in said socket interposed between said freeedge of the door and a portion of the doorway.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 wherein said connection elementcomprises a rod slidably and longitudinally disposed within said coilspring and said flexible element connecting the outer end of said rodwith said lbuffer member and slidably extending through said seat.

MARTIN CALKINS BRIGGS.

REFERENCES oiTEn The following references are of record in the file ofthispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

